West Restaurant: a West Coast Tasting Tradition

The Tasting Menu is back. Although, truth be told, at West Restaurant it never went away.

Earlier this summer I had the opportunity to witness the artistry of West Chef Bobby Milheron in two contrasting settings. The first was at the BC Seafood Festival in Comox. The second was at the South Granville restaurant itself. There I sampled an impressive array of the chef’s current prix fixe offerings.

In Comox Milheron demonstrated true ‘grace under fire’ as he executed a series of remarkable ‘black box’ dishes.

West Restaurant chef Bobby Milheron competes at the BC Seafood Festival

The event proved hotly contested and of the highest calibre. However, the chef convincingly beat out his 12 peers to eventually win a cliffhanger final. Milheron’s outstanding, off the cuff dishes ran the gamut. They included an Albacore tuna and Side Stripe shrimp Roll, and olive oil poached Halibut with Manila clams.

West Restaurant chef Bobby Milheron's winning dish at BC Seafood Festival

Geoduck clam and swimming scallops chowder

But it was his Geoduck Clam and Swimming Scallops chowder that nailed down the big prize.

Milheron’s show of skills in Comox underscored the attention to detail that go into all his dishes. Currently there’s still time to sample his $39 three-course Summer Prix Fixe menu. It runs until September 22nd.

West Restaurant cucumber and almond gazpacho

In addition to some wickedly delicious tastes, such attention to sourcing, precision on the plate and polished service all add up to extraordinary value.

West Restaurant roasted beef tenderloin, Port Neuf potato, confit, tomato, sauce Béarnaise.

In short order, the Fall menu kicks in on September 23rd.

West: Forging a local culture

Contents hide

1 West: Forging a local culture

1.1 Last course!

West has always been true to its founding principals of ‘regional and seasonal.’ Not only did that mantra place it firmly on the map. It kindled a passion of working with local producers that help seed our culinary culture.

West Restaurant heirloom taomato, avocado, smoked tomato vinaigrette, watercress

Some of us recall the days when West (under opener David Hawksworth) and Rob Feenie’s Lumière used to duke it out annually for VanMag’s coveted Restaurant of the Year award.

West Restaurant Albacore tuna, crushed potato, olive tapenade, green chermoula

Through his prix fixe menus (and definitive chef’s tasting menu), Milheron sustains that tradition of working with close-by fishers, farmers, ranchers and foragers. West’s raison d’être continues to be driven by a cornucopia of ‘peak of season,’ regional ingredients.

Last course!

Impeccable served Guanaja chocolate soufflé with vanilla crème anglaise.

West Restaurant, 2881 Granville Street, Vancouver, BC,

604-738-8938 / westrestaurant.com

About the Author: Tim Pawsey

Tim has been covering the food and wine revolution for about 20 kilos. Count 15 kg alone thanks to the blossoming cuisine and wine culture of British Columbia, Canada. Tim’s hallmark is seeking out and recommending value wines from BC and around the world that offer quality at every level. He also scopes out noteworthy restaurants that live up to their promises—and often over deliver. Readers depend on the Hired Belly for his “Belly’s Best” and “Belly’s Budget Best” picks to help them find the right wine for the occasion. For several decades Tim wrote columns in the Vancouver Courier and North Shore News. He contributes to several other publications, including BCLS Taste magazine, Quench, Vitis and many others. Tim is a frequent judge for wine competitions and was a founding judge of The BC Lieutenant Governor’s Awards for Excellence in Wine. He is frequently invited to judge at The BC Wine Awards, and others. Tim has traveled to taste in many of the world’s leading wine regions, most recently in Burgundy, Argentina and Chile.